Marriage migrants' use of social media

Abstract

This study analyzed the role and impact of social media use on the daily lives of marriage migrants. We empirically examined a moderated mediation model by surveying 201 marriage migrants. This study focused on four key concepts: social stigma, empowerment, self-stigma, and social networks forged via social media such as Facebook, Kakao Talk, LINE, and Viber. The results confirmed that the detrimental effect of social stigma can be mitigated by robust social networks, and a greater feeling of empowerment resulted in less self-stigma. Consequently, social networks through social media acted as a buffer against negative public opinion or any belittling views. Furthermore, solid social networks were linked to feelings of support and empowerment.